Urban regimes and sport in North American cities: seeking status through franchises, events and facilities

Entrepreneurial cities in North America are strategically using sport for the purposes of marketing communities as attractive places to live, attractive places to visit, and attractive places to invest. However, how sport is used, and who is behind the strategic actions of cities remains a more nebulous concept. This paper focuses on the role of urban regimes ? the networks of political and business elites in cities ? involved in local decision-making strategies related to sport. Three areas of focus, sports franchises, sporting events, and sports facilities, are reviewed in terms of the involvement of both public and private sector interests. In doing so, this article bridges the management of place and the management of sport in an attempt to generate insight into how sport fits into civic strategies, and how cities have sought to gain status through sport-related development initiatives.